I've now completed the basic baseboard for my layout. It's 90cm wide in a complete rectangle around the room 5.1M x 3.6M so quite a size for a first layout, and I have yet to decide on a track plan.
 Thinking ahead, there will obviously be a lot of track to be laid, and my thoughts have turned to ballasting, as I'll need quite a bit. I'm aware that there are proprietary brands, some of which seem to be a brownish colour which seems odd to me as in my area at least, the local BR tracks are ballasted with greyish white stone which I'd suppose is either limestone or maybe granite.
We have two cats, so use a fair amount of cat litter of the 'Fullers Earth' variety, and as it's often me who changes the litter, I've noticed how much like the local track ballast this litter is, small scale chippings, the right colour and cheap too, as it's less than a couple of quid for a large bag from Aldi/Lidl!
Has anyone else tried this, or am I just being 'tightfisted' (or original-thinking)?
It is quite absorbent, so using a liquid glue to keep it in place may well result in a 'slurry', but I had also thought about laying the track centrally on 50mm wide double-sided carpet tape, not to hold the track, but to keep the ballast in place. Does this seem like a sound idea to everyone, or should I just go and lie down in a darkened room for a bit!!!?
Keith.

In YMR Forum Index
http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=806&forum_id=46  under B - a few threads on ballasting.

For running track ballast I use a mixture of Jarvis Grey and Woodlands Scenics brown well mixed together. For sidings and yards I use crusher dust from the local granite quarry.

Hi Keith, I use Woodland Scenics' 'fine' ballast for my 00 gauge layout. I find that most commercial ballast for 00 is too large, or looks it once down. I have never tried cat litter, but our cats' litter has grains about 4mm across. That would make for some big chunks of ballast when scaled up. I think the best thing would be to lay some on a test bit of track before committing to anything.

Keith, surely cat litter is far too coarse.  Personally, I would avoid it and go for one of the many brands of ballast on the market.  I usually avoid those marked for use with OO, as they usually look too coarse.  I have a bag of brown ballast bought from 'Green Scene' at a show last Saturday . It cost £2.95 but goes a long way.  To answer your query regarding brown ballast, it represents dirty ballast. 

You might also be interested in a small gadget sold by Green Scene to assist with ballasting.  It takes the form of a small plastic box which you fill with ballast and push along the track  It deposits the ballast evenly, ready for adhesive to be applied.  It speeds up ballasting no end.  See it here:

Green Scene Model Railway Scenic Supplies

Terry

Kieth,most ballsting stone comes from local quarries,so colour is local too,here in north yorks most stone is iron stone so redish brown
so i use builders sharp sand dried and sieved to leave a fine ballst,see what your hardware shop has,£ 2.50 a bag will do all your track
:thumbs;-):cool: